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The "Friday effect": school attendance over the week

Author

Listed:
  • Joanna Clifton-Sprigg

    (University of Bath)

  • Jonathan James

    (University of Bath)

Abstract

Using newly released detailed data on school absences, we find a “Friday effect”. Children are much less likely to attend schools in England on a Friday. We find that this pattern holds for different schools and for both authorised (mainly illness) and unauthorised absence. Furthermore, we document a social gradient in the “Friday effect” for unauthorised absences, where the effect is larger in more deprived areas. We also show the effect in secondary schools is bigger in areas with more persistent absence. Eliminating the “Friday effect” could lead to a 1.71% of a standard deviation increase in test scores and 0.8% increase in income in the longer run.

Suggested Citation

  • Joanna Clifton-Sprigg & Jonathan James, 2023. "The "Friday effect": school attendance over the week," Department of Economics Working Papers 98/23, University of Bath, Department of Economics.
    • Handle: RePEc:eid:wpaper:58182
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Sarah Cattan & Daniel A Kamhöfer & Martin Karlsson & Therese Nilsson, 2023. "The Long-Term Effects of Student Absence: Evidence from Sweden," The Economic Journal, Royal Economic Society, vol. 133(650), pages 888-903.
    2. Joshua Goodman, 2014. "Flaking Out: Student Absences and Snow Days as Disruptions of Instructional Time," NBER Working Papers 20221, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    3. Liu, Jing & Lee, Monica & Gershenson, Seth, 2021. "The short- and long-run impacts of secondary school absences," Journal of Public Economics, Elsevier, vol. 199(C).
    4. Aucejo, Esteban M. & Romano, Teresa Foy, 2016. "Assessing the effect of school days and absences on test score performance," Economics of Education Review, Elsevier, vol. 55(C), pages 70-87.
    5. Lee Elliot Major & Andrew Eyles & Stephen Machin, 2021. "Unequal Learning and Labour Market Losses in the Crisis: Consequences for Social Mobility," CEPEO Working Paper Series 21-02, UCL Centre for Education Policy and Equalising Opportunities, revised Mar 2021.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

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